Rodriguez fits in fine against Benet
As a freshman on a softball team with a number of talented returners, it's understandable that Downers Grove North's Savannah Rodriguez wasn't quite sure how she'd fit in when the season started.
But the Trojans rookie is fitting in just fine these days, and Tuesday afternoon she was a key cog in the team's 10-4 defeat of visiting Benet. Rodriguez picked up the win in the circle after limiting the Redwings to 5 hits and 3 earned runs. She also went 3-for-4 at the plate, including an RBI double.
"I was kind of nervous when the season started, but I feel like I've gotten better," she said. "I'm really thankful for my defense. They did a great job helping me out today."
Rodriguez singled off Benet starter Megan Stoppelman in the first inning and scored as the Trojans (11-4) jumped ahead 2-0 and never trailed in the nonconference game. Downers Grove North added two more runs in the third and scored four times in the fourth for a 7-3 lead on the Redwings, who committed 5 errors in the field.
The offensive support was more than enough for the Trojans pitcher, who struck out three hitters looking through three innings and did her best to limit the damage done by Redwings sluggers Steph Abello and Jen York, who combined to go 3-for-8 with an RBI.
"I felt pretty good today when I was warming up," she said. "They've got really good hitters. But I think my slow curve and my changeup were working well today."
The top of the Trojans order paved the way to a big day at the late for the hosts. Leadoff hitter Zoe Varsbergs went 3-for-4 and scored three times, while Katie Polaski had two hits and a sacrifice bunt in the No. 2 hole.
"It's a pretty solid win today," said Varsbergs, the Trojans' first baseman, after knocking off the 10-8 Redwings in impressive fashion. "It's probably the best we've had I'd say. We played as a team today and hitting was contagious throughout the lineup, so that was good."
Benet trailed just 2-1 after Abello singled home Allie Goettsch in the top of the third, but the Trojans answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half, one coming on Rodriguez' deep double to center and another scoring on an error.
The Redwings did get back to within 4-3 in the fourth after York started a 2-run rally with a double. She scored on a wild pitch and Meagan McCormick walked and scored the second run on a ground out by Brooklyn Baccega.
But the Downers Grove bats stayed hot and Rodriguez settled in, taking a 10-3 lead into the seventh before Benet tallied an unearned run.
"We didn't play the way we're capable of playing. We've been struggling," Redwings coach Jerry Schilf said. "We'll play a solid game one day and then the young kids will make some mistakes … if we play an errorless game it's a different situation.
"We know what we're capable of doing, but it's just that we also realize because of the youth that they're going to make mistakes. We just have to be able to shut the door when we make mistakes."